This invention relates in general to breathing devices and in particular to a new and useful protective helmet and hood for persons operating in emergency situations.
Protective breathing hoods combined with a breathing gas supply are known in most various designs. In emergency, however, they all have the common drawback that at the occurrence of a dangerous situation they must first be put in a complicated manner and then set into operation.
Particularly in mining operations underground, sudden outbursts of gas (methane, CO.sub.2) may make it necessary to start a breathing protection instantly, within seconds, since the forming ambient atmosphere may completely displace oxygen. Failing to establish a protection, any escape may be frustrated since unconsciousness follows within a few breaths.
The inventive idea can take for granted the assumption that at such hazardous locations, both in the mining and in other industries, protective helmets are worn as a rule.
In the prior art, a protective breathing hood is known which is used in combination with a protective helmet. The hood comprises a jacket-type tubular part, of fabric for example, having a window and being gathered at its upper rim. This tubular jacket is engaged over the helmet and carried by the rim thereof. Air is supplied therein through a connection passed through the front portion of the helmet rim. Two flexible tubes resting each at one side against the gathered rim of the hood lead from the connection to a T-fitting to which compressed air is supplied through another flexible tube. The hood has the disadvantage already mentioned above that in an emergency situation, it must first be put on and then made ready for use (German utility model No. 1863467)